'A good site for health': Missionaries and the pathological geography of central southern Africa

Throughout much of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the tropics and subtropics were constructed as a relatively homogenous realm. The supposed 'pathological potency' of these regions was assumed to render them particularly hazardous for European constitutions relative to 'temperate' locations. The interior of Africa represented one such apparently pestilential place. This paper examines how the experiences of nineteenth-century missionaries based at various stations in central southern Africa might have been influenced by popular and scientific debates focusing on environment, climate and health in Africa. We also illustrate how their perspectives may have challenged popular homogenized conceptualizations of interior Africa as a uniformly dangerous place for Europeans and helped to identify a spatially varied pathological geography of the region.     

The poverty evolution of typical countries along the Belt and Road and implications from China’s poverty reduction experiences

Journal of Geographical Sciences - The world is facing a poverty crisis. Despite the great achievements that have been made in poverty alleviation over the past two decades, the extent of poverty...     

Fluid Households,Complex Families: The Impacts of Children's Migration as a Response to HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa*

The fluidity of southern African families is related to a long history of internal and external migration. Currently, HIV/AIDS is having a dramatic impact on extended family structures, with the migration of individual members employed as a coping strategy. Children's migration is one aspect of this that is often distinct from that undertaken by other household members. This article is based on qualitative research conducted in Lesotho and Malawi with young migrants and the households that receive them. It examines the processes of fragmentation and re‐formation of households through the movements of children that are taking place in response to HIV/AIDS, and explores the impacts these processes have on young migrants and the households they join.     

Fluid Households,Complex Families: The Impacts of Children's Migration as a Response to HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa*

Abstract

The fluidity of southern African families is related to a long history of internal and external migration. Currently, HIV/AIDS is having a dramatic impact on extended family structures, with the migration of individual members employed as a coping strategy. Children's migration is one aspect of this that is often distinct from that undertaken by other household members. This article is based on qualitative research conducted in Lesotho and Malawi with young migrants and the households that receive them. It examines the processes of fragmentation and re-formation of households through the movements of children that are taking place in response to HIV/AIDS, and explores the impacts these processes have on young migrants and the households they join.     

Drought, desiccation and discourse: missionary correspondence and nineteenth-century climate change in central southern Africa

This paper examines the role that representatives of the London Missionary Society in central southern Africa during the nineteenth century may have played in the development of geographical debates concerning the long-term desiccation of the African continent. Observations on climate included within missionary documents are used to reconstruct a chronology of intra-decadal climatic variability for the period 1815–1900. This reveals six drought periods and seven wet phases that affected large areas of the region, but identifies no evidence for progressive desiccation. The chronology is then used as a framework within which to view missionary perspectives on drought and desiccation. Major influences upon the development of desiccationist theory appear to include the prevalence of contemporary moral economic explanations of climatic variability, as well as the uptake and acceptance of indigenous understanding of climate change. Significantly, many of the key observations by eminent missionaries used as supporting evidence for progressive desiccation are identified as having been made during periods of severe drought. This is used to suggest that the most widely propagated evidence for desiccation may, therefore, simply be the end-product of periods of short-term drought rather than long-term climatic deterioration.     

Soil degradation assessment in mixed farming systems of southern Africa: use of nutrient balance studies for participatory degradation monitoring

Soil degradation assessments for mixed farming systems of the Molopo Basin (North West Province, South Africa and Southern District, Botswana) are provided from farmer–based research, designed to quantify nutrient fluxes across the farming system and to analyze the social, economic, political and environmental factors affecting nutrient management practices. This paper discusses the practical difficulties of how to use participatory farmer–led studies to assess soil degradation extent and its causes, and of then disseminating this information to farming communities and policymakers. Nutrient balance studies show that land degradation is evident on arable fields as soil nutrient depletion (the main threat to poorer manure–reliant farmers) and soil acidification (the main threat to wealthier farmers who have become dependent on inorganic fertilizer additions). Integrated nutrient management strategies involving both compound fertilizer additions and regular manure inputs can mitigate most soil degradation even on the sandy infertile Kalahari soils, but remain infrequently practised. The need to retain nutrient flows through the livestock sector from rangeland to arable land is thus vital to environmental sustainability and offers an applicable entry point for agricultural development initiatives and support. Factors identified as threatening the flow of nutrients from rangelands to arable lands include policy settings in terms of the different support programmes offered to communal farmers, village–level extension advice, household poverty levels and labour constraints.     

Towards understanding the lithospheric structure of the southern Chilean subduction zone (36°S–42°S) and its role in the gravity field

The Southern Andes differ significantly from the Central Andes with respect to topography and crustal structures and are, from a geophysical point of view, less well known. In order to provide insight into the along-strike segmentation of the Andean mountain belt, an integrated 3-D density model was developed for the area between latitudes 36°S and 42°S. The model is based on geophysical and geological data acquired in the region over the past years and was constructed using forward density modelling. In general, the gravity field of the South American margin is characterized by a relatively continuous positive anomaly along the coastline and the forearc region, and by negative anomalies along the trench and the volcanic arc. However, in the forearc region of the central part of the study area, located just to the south of the epicentre of the largest ever recorded earthquake (Valdivia, 1960), the trench-parallel positive anomaly is disrupted. The forearc gravity anomaly differences thus allow the study area to be divided into three segments, the northern Arauco-Lonquimay, the middle Valdivia-Liquiñe, and the southern Bahía-Mansa-Osorno segment, which are also evident in geology. In the proposed model, the observed negative gravity anomaly in the middle segment is reproduced by an approximately 5 km greater depth to the top of the slab beneath the forearc region. The depth to the slab is, however, dependent upon the density of the upper plate structures. Therefore, both the upper and lower plates and their interaction have a significant impact on the subduction-zone gravity field.     

Application of the USLE in a Savannah Environment: Comparative Experiences from East and West Africa

The use of empirical models for predicting erosion hazard in Africa is widespread. One of the most commonly used models is the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). This paper explores the applicability of the USLE in the East and West African Savannah environments, using both primary and secondary data. The results show that the USLE can be applied to Savannah conditions if some level of instrumentation is provided to enable model calibration and validation. The rainfall erosivity factor (R) is one variable which is calculated differently in both the East and the West African Savannah, reflecting differences in the storm characteristics between the two regions. The soil erodibility factor (K) is applied to cultivated soils with relatively high organic matter but does not adequately predict soil loss if the soils have large quantities of stone cover or if they exhibit surface sealing properties. The topographic factors (LS) are transferable, but in some parts of the Savannah, very steep slopes are cultivated, limiting the accuracy of the LS factor. The crop and management factor (C) is applicable for single stand crops, but more studies are required to develop C factors for multiple cropping and rangelands as these are more prevalent in the Savannah. The conservation practices factors (P) as described in the USLE routines do not adequately cater for soil conservation structures found in Africa, such as trash lines and stone lines. Thus, local indices need to be developed. In general, the USLE tends to underestimate soil erosion in East Africa while overestimating it in the West African Savannah. User‐friendly Geographical Information Systems (GIS) applications that depict the uncertainty of model estimates should be explored in the future.     

“一带一路”背景下博多河流域景观格局变化及生态风险评价研究

“一带一路”沿线国家的生态风险研究有利于区域可持续发展,充分发挥对外辐射的作用,促进国家间经济流动、贸易畅通,实现共同繁荣。以孟加拉国博多河流域为例,选取1980—2017年期间的5期遥感影像,基于景观格局指数建立生态风险模型,综合运用空间自相关分析法、地统计学分析法、重心转移法等方法,研究流域景观格局变化特征以及生态风险演变规律。结果表明：（1）1980—2017年流域内景观类型主要是林地和耕地,且景观格局变化显著,耕地和湿地面积减少,林地、建设用地和未利用地面积增加;（2）1980年以来,流域生态风险整体呈下降趋势,但各类风险转化显著,除低风险区面积减少之外,其余风险区均存在不同程度的增加,各期流域生态风险重心均位于锡拉杰甘杰县,主要在流域中部沿南北方向发生偏移;（3）流域内各期的生态风险在空间上呈显著正相关关系,“高-高”集聚基本稳定,主要分布在博多河及其沿岸;“低-低”集聚变化显著,由博多河下游先向上游及流域西南部变化,后逐渐向流域西部和南部聚拢。研究结果为构建流域生态安全格局及进行生态风险预警工作等提供科学依据和理论支撑。     

The causes and processes responsible for rocky desertification in karst areas of southern China

The karst region of southern China is a fragile ecological zone with widespread rocky desertification. This paper describes the rocky desertification occurring in this region in terms of both natural and anthropogenic factors. During geological time periods, the region’s changing environment governed the natural rocky desertification processes, whereas during historical and modern times, anthropogenic processes have been superimposed on these natural processes. Human activities have accelerated and exacerbated rocky desertification. The period from the beginning to the middle of the Qing dynasty was an important transitional period in which human activities began to exert a particularly strong influence on rocky desertification. Since then, the effect of anthropogenic factors has increasingly exceeded the effect of natural factors. The rocky desertification process in southern China’s karst region combines surface ecological processes (including vegetation degradation and loss, soil erosion, surface water loss, and bedrock solution) with a reduction of the land’s biological productivity, leading to degradation that produces rocky desert. Controlling rocky desertification requires comprehensive development of sustainable agriculture and economic development that provides employment alternatives to agriculture and thereby promotes the rehabilitation of rocky desertified land.     

Coupling Conservation and Livelihoods for Sustainable Management of Protected Areas in East Africa

Strengthening research efforts to understand the combined impacts of conservation and livelihoods in protected areas (PAs) will increase the collective contribution that PAs can make towards meeting global goals for sustainable development in the next decade. As an example of such efforts, in 2014 the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) jointly initiated the “Sustainable Management of Protected Areas in East Africa” project. This paper provides a brief overview of the project’s research background, goals and research tasks. The study is based on a look at the PA management system in East Africa and a review of the literature on the impact of PAs in the region. Results show that East African nations have expanded the coverage of PAs and established a complex set of PA management systems over the past century. The mandate for PAs in East African nations has changed recently from protecting biodiversity to alleviating poverty and supporting livelihoods. However, a combination of human activities and ecological processes inside and outside of PAs may not only impact biodiversity and ecosystem function over the long term, but also pose a threat to the capacity of PAs to maintain livelihoods and alleviate poverty in the local communities around them. The state of existing research in the field suggests there is an enormous need for additional research, the purpose of which is to help PA managers and policy-makers in East Africa understand how to achieve win-win outcomes for both ecosystems and human well-being. Against this background, the CAS-KWS-UN Environment joint research project aims to understand the dynamic interactions between ecosystems and human well-being around PAs in East Africa and identify good practices for PA management to reconcile conservation targets with the livelihood demands of local communities. It is intended that this research be shared with interested parties throughout the developing world. Significant progress has been made in the implementation of the project, in terms of data collection, exchanges of researchers, and the completion of case studies. In the coming year, success stories and examples of failures of PA management in the region will be systematically summarized and shared among scientists, managers and decision makers worldwide. Given its blueprint for building a “Beautiful China”, China can both supplement and benefit from East African knowledge and experience of PA management. This joint research effort promotes Sino-African cooperation on PA research and management.     

Cooperation at different scales: challenges for local and international water resource governance in South Africa

Theory on environmental governance and water governance emphasises decentralised, devolved forms of interaction between stakeholders. As previously excluded actors are empowered to take part in governance, new forms of cooperation are created. This paper examines how the cooperative principle has influenced stakeholder interaction at the local and international scales of water governance in South Africa. Water policies and initiatives have been set up to promote multi-level governance that emphasises cooperation between various stakeholders. The emphasis on cooperation and inclusiveness is particularly pertinent to the South African context because of its apartheid past. The paper asks whether there have been new forms of cooperation between a wider array of actors, as the theory proposes. By using the case studies of the Sabie catchment and the Lesotho Highlands Water Project to examine local and international level governance, the paper finds challenges related to power disparity and interdependence of actors, and risk perceptions of inclusive decision-making. It is found that at both the local and international level, the state, which is a 'traditional' actor, still plays an influential role in decision-making. 'New' actors such as businesses, civil society, and regional institutions are more visible but have limited decision-making power. Non-linear, time-consuming forms of cooperation occur in water governance.     

Gravity measurements with a portable absolute gravimeter A10 in Syowa Station and Langhovde,East Antarctica

Absolute gravity values were measured with a portable absolute gravimeter A10 in East Antarctica, for the first time by the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. This study aims to investigate regional spatiotemporal variations of ice mass distributions and associated crustal deformations around Syowa Station by means of repeated absolute gravity measurements, and we obtained the first absolute gravity value in Southern Langhovde on the Antarctic Continent. The average absolute gravity value at the newly installed benchmark AGS01 in Langhovde (obtained on 3 February 2012) was 982535584.2 ± 0.7 μgal (1 [μgal] = 1 × 10^?8 [m/s²]), which was in agreement with the gravity values obtained by the past relative gravity measurements within 1 mgal. In addition, the average absolute gravity value obtained at AGSaux in Syowa Station was consistent with both previous absolute gravity values and those obtained by simultaneous measurements using an FG5 gravimeter, owing to adequate data corrections associated with tidal effects and time variations in atomic clock frequencies. In order to detect the gravity changes associated with the ice mass changes and other tectonic phenomena, we plan to conduct absolute gravity measurements at AGS01 again and at other campaign sites around Syowa Station as well in the near future, with careful attention paid to the impacts of severe environmental conditions in Antarctica on gravity data collection.     

Between a rock and a hard place: contested livelihoods in Qwaqwa National Park, South Africa

This paper examines rural livelihoods and the prospects for participatory conservation through a case study of Qwaqwa National Park (QNP) in South Africa. The park was established in 1992 in the context of South Africa's transition to democracy, growing ecotourism in the country and global movements towards conservation involving and benefiting local people. The paper argues that the protracted conflict between park residents and management led to new patterns of livelihood activities and household formation, and resulted in material and social differentiation amongst park households. The goals of park management, with a commitment to nature conservation and ecotourism, were at odds with the livelihood practices of park residents. Conflicts arose over stocking levels, overgrazing, wood-cutting and deforestation and over the use of other natural resources, including water and medicinal plants. The park was the site of a Rand Water project that employed many residents. Residents found themselves between a rock and a hard place as they resisted attempts by the management to reduce stocking levels and yet relied on management to gain access to sources of paid employment.     

Stable isotope evidence for nutritional stress,competition, and loss of functional habitat as factors limiting recovery of rare antelope in southern Africa

A major focus in population ecology is understanding factors that limit rare species. We used stable isotope approaches to diet to determine whether remaining rare antelope populations in Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa experience i) nutritional stress; ii) competition with sympatric bulk grazers; iii) reduced habitat heterogeneity. Rare species consumed near-pure C₄ grass-based diets throughout the seasonal cycle, in contrast to field observations that reported significant levels of C₃ consumption (browse) by these taxa. This finding, coupled with low faecal %N at the height of the dry season, may indicate nutritional stress, but recent isotopic studies of the same species elsewhere in Africa suggest that field observations overestimated levels of browse consumption. We find little evidence for diet niche overlap between rare antelope with bulk grazing species. This partitioning of resources (interpreted mainly as tall- versus short-grass grazing, respectively), is consistent with reported differences in observed diet, and comparative oral morphology. Last, we find less seasonal diet variations amongst bulk grazers feeding in rare antelope habitats compared with other landscapes. We propose that loss of functional heterogeneity, apparently brought about by high densities of artificial waterholes, limits recovery of diet- and habitat-selective rare antelope populations in KNP.     

长江经济带开发与保护空间格局构建及其分析路径

长江流域经济—社会—生态系统完整,是中国国土空间开发最重要的东西轴线,在区域发展总体格局中具有重要战略地位。当下,为应对全球经贸格局重组、国家与区域经济社会转型以及资源环境约束趋紧等新形势,国家提出依托长江黄金水道,构建横贯东西、辐射南北、通江达海、经济高效、生态良好的中国经济新支撑带,这就要求长江经济带形成人口资源环境协调的均衡化开发与保护格局。本文基于“点—轴”、分区式与多中心网络式等空间组织结构,明确空间格局的推演逻辑与思路。进而,在区域差异性分析与空间开发适宜性评价基础上,认为长江经济带需重点构建以“一轴两翼,三区六廊”为主体的开发格局、以“六大片区”为主体的农业发展格局、以“五大屏障”为主体的生态安全格局,并提出不同区域差异化发展导向、路径与制度建议,以及今后长江经济带空间结构需进一步研究的主要科学问题。     

Land-cover change and human–environment interactions in a rural cultural landscape in South Africa

This paper presents an historical analysis (1974–97) of associations between land-cover change and socio-economic factors for three villages in a former bantustan region of South Africa. The notion of social–ecological systems is used as the conceptual framework for this analysis, in which the former bantustan region of Bushbuckridge is posited as a cultural landscape. The local landscape showed distinctive modifications over the study period, broad trends including the growth of human settlements and the decrease in woodland cover. However, changes were not uniform across sites, and the direction and magnitude of changes in land cover were often nonlinear and site-specific. Analysis of associations between biophysical and socio-economic changes at different scales revealed a range of important interacting forces such as population growth, drought, shortages of land, grazing and wood resources, weakening institutional governance of natural resources, and the diversification of livelihood strategies, including the sale of fuelwood, concurrent with declining employment security and cattle ownership. Evidence suggests a possible erosion of resilience in these social–ecological systems at various scales, with important implications for socio-economic development and sustainable resource management.     

Access to electricity for all and the role of decentralized solar power in sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT

Several hundred million people in sub-Saharan Africa are at risk of being without access to electricity by 2030 despite the ongoing work aimed at achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7—sustainable energy for all. Based on qualitative interviews, quantitative surveys, observation, and participation in Kenya and Senegal between 2010 and 2018, the author aims to explain why the rate of progress is slower than intended. The findings highlight three strong hindrances: lack of affordability due to extreme poverty, mismatch between the village-level outreach of grid-based electricity systems and the geography of settlements, and lack of consideration given to gender inequality. The findings also provide new insights into the ways that decentralized small-scale solar power increasingly meets some of the shortcomings of centralized grids in addressing these three issues, even in rural areas where grids are already present. The author concludes that the ways in which village communities have combined the use of solar-powered energy with grid-supplied energy indicates the importance of the former and the need to intensify efforts to improve solar power delivery models and integrate them fully in energy sector strategies.